Mavis!
by Durbe the Barian
Summary: The 100 Year mission. Zeref thought for certain that he could stay with Mavis forever. But in the end, that monster took her away. - Probably OOC. A little bit, but Zeref had to have smiled and chuckled at SOME point in his life, right?


**Fairy Tail Oneshot**

**Mavis!**

**Tragedy/Romance**

**Mavis/Zeref/Acnologia**

**The 100 Year mission. Zeref thought for certain that he could stay with Mavis forever. But in the end, that monster took her away.**

**(Don't own Fairy Tail. I am merely a die-hard Zervis fan.)**

* * *

Mavis!

* * *

(100 years ago)

Zeref was sound asleep in the middle of the forest outside of the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. The trees around him were weak and withered, their leaves shedding like the fur of an animal. Zeref himself was shivering from the cold, but he put up with it. Better that he was outside and his guild was safe...than forcing himself to watch as those he cared for suffered because of his tainted magic.

Slowly, a tiny hand reached out and touched his shoulder. "Zeref-kun," a voice said, "come on. Time to wake up."

Zeref didn't wake up for a minute or two, but when he did, he smiled at the sight of the young, golden-haired woman looking down at him. "Good morning, Mavis," he breathed as he forced himself off the leaf-covered ground.

Mavis frowned. "You slept outside again?" she asked. "Why do you do that? You know that's unhealthy."

Zeref couldn't help but chuckle. "You say that, Mavis," he said, "but it's because I sleep out here when I feel the need that your guild hasn't perished in the dead of night."

Mavis let out a huff. "You know, it's your guild too," she said. "You're always welcomed inside."

Zeref couldn't help but turn away. "I'm sorry."

"Don't go starting that again!" Mavis snapped. "Come on. Chin up. We've got a mission!"

She then held up a flyer for him to read.

"An S-Class?" Zeref asked. "In Zonia? Are you certain that's a good idea?"

"Sure I'm sure," Mavis said. "You'll be there to protect me if something goes wrong, right?"

Zeref wanted to turn away. But for some strange reason, he opted not to, allowing Mavis to see the blush building up on his face.

That brought a laugh out of her. "There's the Zeref I know and love," she said.

Zeref's face only grew redder. "Love?" he asked.

"EEP!" Mavis exclaimed, her own face becoming like a tomato. "I mean...th-the Zeref I know and appreciate."

Zeref chuckled. That had become a running gag between the two. She would say something cute and innocent, slipping the 'L' word into the conversation. He would point it out. Then she would cover it up. She was so shy when it came to matters of the heart, but it didn't matter.

He still loved her just the same.

Besides, he was no different. Actually, he was probably worse.

"Very well," he said. "I'll be there for you...," he reached forward and stroked her cheek; "Mavis."

Mavis smiled.

"Now **there's** my Zeref-kun," she giggled.

Zeref smiled in return.

* * *

(Like the flowers that withered at Zeref's feet, all good things...must come to an end.)

Zeref and Mavis looked to the sky in horror. A dragon with the darkest of scales was looking down at them, his eyes flashing with an animalistic rage. His scales grew darker by the second, his wings furling as he readied his attack.

"That dragon looks angry," Mavis said.

"Mavis, go," Zeref said.

"What?"

"Go." Zeref said it a little more sternly that time. "That dragon is not a friendly one. Go!"

"No!" Mavis said. "I'm staying here and I'm going to help you fight it!"

"This is not the time for arguing!"

Nor did the dragon offer them any more time. He furled his wings and allowed himself to plummet, his roar readied for they who dared to stay put.

Zeref looked behind himself for only a moment, his dark eyes looking into the dragon's own, before he made his decision.

He jumped forward, scooping Mavis up from the ground, protecting her with his body as the dragon's roar hit the ground.

It was far away, but that didn't stop them from feeling the attack.

Zeref's entire body seared with pain as the roar burned through his shirt sleeve, scorching the Fairy Tail mark on his shoulder.

"Z-Zeref!" Mavis exclaimed.

They both hit the dirt below them, followed by Mavis picking herself up. Then she proceeded to examine Zeref to the best of her ability.

The man was burned; injured. His Fairy Tail emblem was only half there, the rest being burned away. "Z-Zeref," Mavis choked out, her hands against her face.

"M-Mavis," Zeref responded, albeit barely. "Please...get out of here."

"What?" Mavis asked, stunned by the command.

Zeref then attempted to force himself to his hands and knees. "This...dragon," Zeref breathed, "neither one of us...can beat it." He looked past his jet black bangs and into her golden eyes. "Please...do as I say and go."

Mavis quickly shook her head. "No!" she shouted. "You're hurt! I can't just leave you."

Zeref wished he had the strength to remind her that he was immortal. But then again, he also knew what she would say in response.

"_You're not immortal! You just can't age!_"

(Yeah. Let's just say he's worried her a lot.)

Quickly, Mavis got to her feet, determination on her face.

"M-Mavis!" Zeref exclaimed, raising a hand out to her. "Please. Don't do anything foolish. Get out of here!"

Mavis shook her head simply. Then she placed her hands before herself and closed her eyes.

The dragon only looked at her curiously. "I invoke...," she said.

"Mavis!" Zeref shouted worriedly.

"Fairy Law!"

The light that followed was so intense, Zeref had to close his eyes to prevent himself from going blind. Then he forced himself to endure the pain that followed. While Mavis didn't consider him her enemy, the Death Magic within him – more specifically, the Death Preying – **was.**

But Zeref didn't mind. He only wanted her safe.

He wanted her to run.

* * *

The light died down moments later, allowing Zeref to open his eyes.

No luck.

The dragon wasn't dissuaded. In fact, it was appeared to be even more irked.

Mavis backed away in fright. "That...," she breathed. "That spell always works."

The dragon didn't seem to agree with her. Raising its claws into the air, it prepared to attack her with its ivory weapons. It only paused when it felt a strange power hit him in the back of the head.

Jerking her head upward, Mavis looked to the source.

Zeref.

He was just barely standing, his buckling knees giving all the evidence one would ever need.

"Zeref," Mavis breathed.

"M-Mavis," Zeref choked out. "R-Run." Then he fell back to the ground, unconsciousness claiming him.

"Zeref!"

The dragon, rather annoyed by the 'insects' that were buzzing around him, chose then to end at least one of them.

He opened his mouth wide, his power escaping between his teeth.

Mavis' eyes widened when the realization dawned on her.

Then she raced to Zeref's side, thinking of nothing more than his safety.

"ZEREF!"

* * *

The rain was falling heavily by the time Zeref woke up. He forced himself to sit up, then winced at the pain in his shoulder. He gave his tunic a quick tug and examined it.

The tail of the fairy had been burned clean off.

"Do fairies have tails?" Zeref asked himself. "This one does not."

"Ze...ref..."

The Death Wizard froze.

He knew that voice. And for once in his life, he didn't like hearing it.

Not in that tone, anyway.

Ever so slowly, he turned his head, forcing himself to see a terrible sight.

Mavis was on the ground, heavily wounded. Her eyes were glazed over and her hair was damp.

Her skin was paler than his own.

That was not a very good sign.

"Mavis!" Zeref exclaimed, forcing himself to his feet. His legs voiced their frustration for him by aching and trying to throw him back to the ground, but he fought past it. Anything to get to Mavis.

Once he reached her, he fell to his knees and scooped her up. "Mavis!" he exclaimed. "Mavis! Are you alright?"

Mavis simply smiled at him. "Are you?"

Zeref didn't answer, but Mavis smiled just the same. "Well," she said, "at least you're alive. That's good."

"What do you mean?" Zeref asked, tears threatening to escape him.

Mavis looked to the sky. "That dragon...wanted to hurt you. So I...I couldn't let him do that."

Zeref could feel his blood freeze over when he made the connection. Then he looked up to the sky himself.

The rain was pouring through a golden field.

"Fairy Sphere?"

"I'm sorry," Mavis said. "I wasn't...able to get in on time."

Zeref's eyes widened. "M-Mavis," he choked out, all the while stroking her cheek. "Don't worry. I'll go get you help."

Mavis simply shook her head. "Just don't let me go," she said. "That's all the help you need to give me."

Zeref didn't hold the tears back any longer. He pulled Mavis closer to his body, granting himself the opportunity to sob into her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said. "I promised I'd be there for you. I promised I'd protect you...Mavis!"

Mavis then raised her hand and stroked his cheek, prompting the wizard to look at her face.

"You have...protected me," she said. "I love you...Zeref..."

Those were the last words she spoke before her hand fell to her chest.

All that could be heard for a moment or two...was the rain pattering against the ground.

Then Zeref brought Mavis' body closer to himself again and proceeded to weep.

* * *

(7 years ago.)

Zeref looked down at the gravestone of Mavis Vermillion. Her last words were still ringing in his heart.

"You have...protected me."

He fell to his knees, his hands up against his eyes as the tears started falling.

Her words.

He could still remember her words.

Her words which comforted him when he felt down.

"Do fairies have tails? That's the question of Fairy Tail. A never ending adventure. And for someone like you, a never ending adventure is exactly what you need."

Her words that always pulled him into a mission, even when he deemed it too dangerous.

"You'll be there to protect me if something goes wrong, right?"

Her words of welcome.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Zeref-kun!"

Her words...

"I love you...Zeref..."

Instantly, Zeref released one of his hands and banged it against the ground.

"No," he breathed sadly. "I didn't protect you. I broke my promise to you. I led you to your death. I let you down...Mavis."

He couldn't see her, thanks to his Fairy Tail emblem being scarred over, but the spirit of his love was looking down at him, saddened about the state she'd left him in. Fighting off the tears, she reached forward and touched his shoulders.

Just like before.

He couldn't see her, but he could feel her.

The tears stopped for a moment before Zeref reached back and placed his hand on top of her own.

"_I love you..._," Mavis said.

Zeref smiled sadly. "I love you...Mavis."

* * *

**D.T.B: Crazy story. I write this BEFORE Easter, then I publish it AFTER Easter. Huh. Interesting. So, please leave a review. No flames.  
**


End file.
